Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-03
RItYsMOND OF THE PAST.
A sketch of the City's History
Courts and CounciImeD. &c.

courts ana &Ountlulcn. tNt.
Varina. on the north side of James
river, short distance below the an
cient city of Henricus, or Henricopolis,
was the original county-seat of Henrico
county.
Under various grants. bearing date
respectively March Is, 1675-'7G, April,
1919, and April, 1857, Colonel William
Pyrd, the first of the name in Virginia,
ACQUIRED title to all the lands from half
a mile below the mouth OF Shockoe
creek, five miles up the river, and ex-
tending two miles backwards into the
woods. This Colonel Byrd was the
owner of ship called the Hopewell,
Which made regular trips between Vir-
Qinia and the mother country. He
Brought into the colony many per-
sons called transports, in considera-
ton Of which he received large grants
of land, and thus laid the foundation
of princely fortune, which the second
William Byrd augmented and enjoyed,
and the third of the same name spent.
After the French Protestant refugees
had made a settlement up the river
| Q7O0), "The Queens Road, from Va
ripa by the falls to Manikintown, was
laid out and established, and settle
ments became more numerous all along
this road and at the falls. In 17l3-l4
"rolling-house," or tobacco ware
house was established on the upper side
of Gilly's creek, on the lands of Gilly
Gromarrin. This was on the present site
of the old Rockets warehouse at the foot
of Libby's Hill. Another warehouse on
the lands of William Byrd. at Shaccoes,
was established in 1850, discontinued
and changed to Wilkinson's on the
lands of Wiltshire Marin in 1874, and
re-estabEshed at Shaccoe in 1876. The
little settlement at the falls thus early
became place OF commercial impor-
lance, and Colonel Byrd conceived the
idea of establishing town upon his
own lands.
TIE TOWN LAID OFF.
in April, 1897, Major William Mayo
laid ont for Colonel Byrd town called
Richmond upon the tract of land then
known as "Byrd's Quarters" 1t con-
tanned twenty-eight squares, divided
into four lots containing half an acre
each. The present boundaries OF the
old town of Richmond are Cary, Broad,
Eighteenth, and Twenty-ffth streets.
To these were subsequently added four
other squares on the west, the lots
being designated byletters. These lots
were advertised for sale in the Will
liamsburg Gazette, and in a few years
neatly all Of them were disposed Of.
Major John Coles was the first pur-
chaser of the four lots numbered ID,
IA, 81, and %. He afterwards bought
six others, and, removing to Richmond
from Williamsburg, became the head OF
the commercial firm OF Coles, Mouatt
| & Glendowe. His residence was on the
lot now occupied by the Monte-Mar
| Convent.
| TOWN ESTABLISHED BY LAW.
May1, 1742, John Coles, gentleman,
presented a petition to the County
Court Of Henrico, to be certified to the
House of Burgesses, "praying that the
town called Richmond, in this county,
be established by an act of Assembly.
! A few days afterwards an act was passed
entitled "dn act for establishing the
torn of Richmond, On the county Of
Henrico, and allowing fairs TO be Kept
! therein"
Richmond was at that time strag-
Cling village, containing between 100
and 200 inhabitants In February,
1852, Peter Randolph, William Byrd,
| William Randolph, Bowler Cooke, Jr.,
Richard Randolph, Thomas Atchison,
Samuel Glesdowe, Samuel Duval, and
John Peasants, gentlemen, were con-
stituted and appointed trustees for the
| town. They were authorized and en-
powered to lay of and regulate the
| streets, TO settle and determine all dis
putes concerning the bounds of the
| lots, and 10 settle and establish rules
| and orders for the more regular and
| orderly building OF the houses,
| October 10, 1851, James Cooke and
! wife, in consideration Of the sum OF
Ave pounds, conveyed by deed TO VIII.
liam Randolph, senior justice in the
commission Of the peace Of HenricO